Return-ball



(No Model.)

W. E. P. FRENCH.

RETURN BALL.

Patented Oct. 28, 1890.

Zia/6701571' UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM E. P. FRENCH, OF FORT SNLLING, MINNESOTA.

RETURN-BALL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,396, dated October 28, 1890.

Application filed February l5, 1890. Serial No. 340,659. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. P. FRENCH, United States Army,a citizen of the United States, at present residing at Fort Snelling, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Return-Balls, of which the following is a specification.

My invention constitutes improvements on that class of toys known as return-balls,in which an elastic cord is secured at one end to a ball and at the other end to a finger-ring. Then the ball is thrown from the hand into the air, it is returned to the hand by the elastieity of the cord. One objection to returnballs of this kind is that the cord is apt to break, and the return of the ball is so quick that it is diflicult to catch the ball at all times on its return.

The object of my invention is to provide means for using a string or light non-elastic cord, and to retard the outward movement and return of the ball, so that it may be easily manipulated.

To this end my invention consists in providing a hollow ball, within which is secured a spring-actuated reel, to which is secured and on which is wound a non-elastic cord carrying at its outer end a finger-ring.

My improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a returnball with the string wound up within it. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the ball and the reel. Fig. 3 is a central section through the ball and a central cross-section through the reel. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal central section showing a modification.

In Figs. l, 2, and 3 the ball A is shown as hollow, being preferably made in two hollow hemispherical sections a, which may be glued, cemented, or joined together at a in any suitable way. The reel B is centrally perforated at b, and is secured at b to an elastic cord, tape, or band @,which extends through the perforation of the reel and is secured at its opposite ends to the hemispherical sections a in any suitable way, preferably as shown by wires c, extending through perforations in the sections a, passing through the looped ends of the tape C, and then twisted. The reel may be placed in position in the ho1 low ball by first securing the band C to the reel at b', as indicated, then securing one end of the band to one of the sections a., stretching the band and securing it to the opposite section, and then permitting the two sections of the ball to come together and securing them at their edges, as above indicated. The elastic band C also serves to hold the sections 0. together, and in some instances the sections may be held together by the action of the band without the use of cement. 4The iiexible cord D extends through a perforation clin the ball, and is secured at its outer end to a finger-ring E. The string is normally wound up on the reel, and when the ball is thrown from the hand it unwinds the string and winds up or puts under torsion the elastic band C. When the cord is wholly or partially unwound from the reel and the ball has reached the limit of its outward movement, the elastic band C causes the reel to revolve in an opposite direction, winds up the cord, and causes the ball to return to the hand. The movement of the ball both outwardly and inwardly is retarded somewhat by the revolution of the reel, so that the movement of the ball is slower and there is a short pause at the limit of its outward movement before it returns to the hand, so that the movement of the ball may be more readily gaged and may be more readily caught on its return.

In Fig. 4. a slight modification is shown in which helical springs F are substituted for the elastic band O. Otherwise the ball and the other parts of the device are substantially the same as those above described, and similar letters of reference are used to indicate similar parts.

The ball proper may be made of any desired material, either wood, rubber, tin, paper, or Celluloid. Celluloid balls are pleasing in appearance and will be found to have considerable elasticity, so that if desired the ball may be thrown to the floor and allowed to rebound therefrom to the hand.

I claim as of my own invention- 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the hollow ball, the spring-actuated reel therein, and the cord secured to the reel and projecting through an aperture in the ball.

2. The combination, substantially as here- ICD inbefore set forth, of the ball composed of two hemispherical sections, the reelarranged centrally Within the ball, the springs secured to the opposite sections of the ball and to the reel, and the non-elastic flexible cord secured to the reel and extending through an aperture in the ball.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto sbscribed my name.

WM. E. P. FRENCH.

Witnesses:

LLOYD B. WIGHT, N. H. SMITH. 

